Iconic 'Rudy' works to motivate inmates at Kane juvenile center

Kane County Juvenile Detention Center

Former Notre Dame underdog football player Rudy Ruettiger, whose story the iconic movie “Rudy” is based upon, spoke recently to 32 inmates at the Kane County Juvenile Detention Center in St. Charles about how they can change the narrative of their lives.

Former Notre Dame underdog football player Rudy Ruettiger, whose story the iconic movie “Rudy” is based upon, spoke recently to 32 inmates at the Kane County Juvenile Detention Center in St. Charles about how they can change the narrative of their lives. (Kane County Juvenile Detention Center)

When Kane County Judge Clint Hull moved over to juvenile criminal court four and a half years ago, his job on the bench got a little tougher ... at least in one regard.

The judge who sentenced young mom Sandra Vasquez to 15 years in prison in 2010 for her role in the drunk-driving accident that killed five Oswego teens a decade ago, has understandably been "deeply affected" by some of those adult felony cases in his courtrooms with the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.

But when Hull began presiding over cases involving offenders ages 13 to 17 at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center in St. Charles, "I bring it home with me every night," he said. "They are just kids coming from bad situations and fighting some incredible odds."

Even the ones who come across as rough and tough, Hull added, have simply been let down and hurt time and time again.

Juvenile Detention Center Program Manager Pam Ely, who worked for more than two decades with the Kane County Child Advocacy Center before joining the Juvenile Detention Center over a year ago, agrees.

"I've seen plenty of neglect and abuse cases in my life and the kids here are every bit as neglected and abused," she said. "You don't end up in detention when things are going well."

Unfortunately, Ely noted, while people want to help abused and neglected kids, "when they become delinquents, they wash their hands of them."

It's for that reason the judge and staff at the center have made it their mission to help these young offenders find support and inspiration. Over the past year Ely has invited visitors to the jail who, like these teens, have overcome major hurdles in their lives.

Examples include Quint Thompson, who spent 12 years in prison for armed robbery and now owns a successful Aurora fitness business, and Sam Partida, a former assistant state's attorney who grew up poor, saw cousins go to prison but ended up in law school thanks, in large part, to a West Aurora elementary school teacher who believed in him.

And another visitor shared a similar and now-familiar story: Newly elected Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin grew up in public housing and, after watching others close to him get caught up in the street life, chose a different path: the military, law school and now the third floor of Aurora City Hall.

That commitment is also the reason the judge likes to give these young offenders books about the stories of underdog athletes, including "To Chase a Dream" by Whitey Kapsalis, who Hull explained to me is "the Rudy of soccer."

As fate would have it, the same day Hull and I were having this conversation, Rudy Ruettiger — the Notre Dame football player on which the ionic move "Rudy" was based — was in the Naperville/Aurora area for personal and business reasons.

And so, the judge and I conspired to see if we could get the author/motivational speaker, who grew up in Joliet and now lives in Las Vegas, to come and talk to the kids. I'd heard nothing but good things about the big heart Rudy Ruettiger has, especially for kids. And those stories turned out to be true because, even on such short notice, he graciously rearranged his already-packed schedule to visit the detention center and spend about an hour talking to the 32 young inmates there.

It's been 25 years since "Rudy," starring Sean Astin, was a motion picture hit, and Ruettiger will soon be coming out with an anniversary documentary focusing on how many people — including basketball legend Kobe Bryant — have claimed that movie changed their lives.

Hull is hoping that legacy continues right here in the Fox Valley.

The night before his visit, staff showed "Rudy" to the teens at the facility, as many of them had likely not seen this movie that was made before they were even born. But the message in that film still resonates, which became obvious by the enthusiastic applause they gave the real Rudy when he entered the cafeteria, as well as by the astute questions they posed about the movie, his life and the odds he had to overcome.

Ruettiger worked his magic. Sitting in that sterile institutional environment, he found a way to deliver his message to the teens in an intimate way — that each of them is a good person who made a bad mistake. Learn from it by turning your life around. Be smart about who you hang around. And no matter what life throws at you, learn to love yourself so you have the courage and confidence to make smart choices even when everyone else wants to knock you down.

I watched those 32 faces closely, wondering what circumstances led to their seat in this captive audience, looking for signs, big or small, that the words this visitor offered were resonating.

"You," he said, pointing to a lanky, sullen-faced kid, "are going to do something with all this. I can see in your face that you are angry. But you are going to do something positive with that anger. Focus on your positive and you will be the person you want to be."

Afterward, a few of the teens shyly approached Rudy, thanking him for coming and indicating that his message would only strengthen the resolve they were building to change the narrative of their young lives. Which is only one of the reasons Ely described the visit as "a great experience."

Rudy "was so down-to-earth and so direct, so real with these kids," she said. "And that's how you make an impact: not by lecturing them but by communicating with them."

"One kid at a time" is how Hull sees it.

"When I look at their faces and see them interacting, they are funny, smart, thoughtful," he insisted. "The ones who are successful have a constant in their lives … someone who is there for them even when they screw up, as most kids do."

Reflecting on the spontaneous visit by the man they call Rudy, Hull described it "as a very good day."